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Zac Brown Band’s John Driskell Hopkins: The Bassist Uncaged by Rick Suchow
Zac Brown Band’s John Driskell Hopkins: The Bassist Uncaged by Rick Suchow… There is success and there is success. As I write this, the number one album sitting squarely at the top of the Billboard album chart is Zac Brown Band’s Uncaged, and it has lightning-bolted up there in the album’s first-week debut. It’s the latest amazing chapter in this Atlanta-based band’s storybook ride up to the top of the music industry. If nothing else, consider the 50-plus award nominations they’ve garnered since just 2009, which includes nods from the Grammys, the Academy of County Music, the American Music Awards, the Country Music Awards, and the CMT Awards. In 2010, the group won the prestigious Grammy Award for Best New Artist. And while the band may appear to be an overnight success, in reality it has been years in the making.
At the core of Zac Brown Band’s sound is their skillful bassist John Driskell Hopkins, who anchors the music with bass playing that is lean and tight. Hopkins’ bass always serves the song, yet gets adventurous when he feels compelled to do so. Make no mistake, the Zac Brown Band is not your daddy’s fiddle-playing country band, although there are elements of that; stylistically they cover it all. On the new album, for example, they seamlessly weave together songs of riff heavy rock (“Uncaged”), Jamaican rhythms (“Island Song”), and good-ol’ down home knee-slappers (“The Wind”). Hopkins’ bass gives all of it an air of authoritative authenticity; he knows what to play, what not to play, and how to glue it all together– not to mention the vocals he adds to the band’s beautifully multi-layered harmonies.
Born in Texas in 1971 and raised in Georgia, John’s life in music started early: singing in church, piano lessons in the fifth grade, picking up guitar and bass in high school. He was also heavily involved in theatre, and graduated Florida State University in 1993 with a degree in General Theatre. College would be followed by years of playing in bar bands, recording, writing and producing, and John finally met Zac Brown in 1998. The two formed an immediate friendship and musical collaboration. Interestingly enough, John did not originally expect to be the band’s permanent bassist when he later added his low-end to Zac’s demos. “I learned that Zac was in need of a bass player,” says Hopkins in his bio. “I volunteered to sit in until he found a permanent player. I truly believe that my intentions at the time were merely to get out and have some fun with my buddy, and step aside when he found someone to play bass. What I didn’t really expect is that we would all play together so effortlessly. After a few weeks, I said to Zac, ‘If you’re not still looking, then I’m staying.”
Stay he did, and the rest is history, as they say. I caught up with John shortly after Uncaged was released to the world, and was grateful that he found some time to share his thoughts with me in the midst of the ZBB whirlwind. To my friends in the bass community, may I present the man who’s been rattling your speakers lately: John Driskell Hopkins.
The band has had a lot of major success in a relatively short time. How are you handling all the attention?
I feel like I have the best of both worlds. When we’re out on the road surrounded by devout fans who have gone out of their way to come see us perform, people look at me like I’m a total rock star. When I’m back home in North Atlanta surrounded by purveyors of fine suburban paradise, people look at me like l’m a medicated biker in an Elmo shirt. It’s really wonderful to get to experience all the excitement and exhilaration that comes with the success we’ve seen and still be able to maintain an anonymous presence in a relatively normal home environment.
Billboard has called Uncaged “the best country release of 2012” so far, and is currently at the top of the charts. Did you feel like you had a great record in the making as you were recording it?
Yes.
I feel like Uncaged is our boldest record so far. This band grows a little bit with every single performance and in larger bits with each album. We expect a lot out of each other and out of each record. We strive for greatness in everything we do and I’m really pleased that Billboard thinks so much of the record. When we put the finishing touches on “Goodbye In Her Eyes”, I truly believed that we had something special.
Greg Allman just sat in with the band at one of your shows in Camden. What was that like?
No one in southern rock and roll has made a bigger impact on me musically than The Allman Brothers Band. I have strived to emulate Gregg Allman in many ways as a vocalist. When you get the chance to play with one of your heroes, it can almost be surreal. His banter and camaraderie is instantly disarming. He is a cool dude with a kind, fun demeanor. When he spins around on that B3 bench and growls that first note into the mic, you have to slap yourself and say “SHIT! That’s Gregg Allman!”. It was awesome.
Your production / engineering abilities played a big role in your becoming a member of Zac Brown Band. Would you say you’re a producer at heart?
I’m an artist at heart. That may sound encompassing, but it’s not a cop out. I started singing at age 3. I’ve been playing in rock bands since I was in high school. I have a Theatre degree from FSU. I owe a lot of my success to my work ethic. I’ve never been afraid of the task ahead. Sometimes, that task is assembling and running a sound system. Sometimes, it’s drilling through the frame of the airport shuttle so the trailer makes it over the mountain. When I made my first album, I bought a recorder instead of studio time. Producing and engineering comes naturally to me, but it doesn’t take the place of creating and performing.
How does having a producer’s ear affect your approach to playing bass with the band?
It affects my approach to everything. I really try to stick to the “less is more” philosophy. We have 7 guys in the band now and it’s really important to not step on each other musically. We like a big powerful presence on stage, so I’m rarely straying from the kick drum when I’m writing my parts. On the other hand, we’ve been stretching out melodically, so some of my bass lines have begun to dance a little. The jam band sensibility is really starting to grow in us. We’re still maintaining some general parameters, but our audience is starting to embrace the times when the parameters get ignored. As a producer, it’s an opportunity to sit back and watch what develops before making hard judgements. Creatively, however, it’s a very exciting time for us.
Tell me about your gear: basses, live rig, effects, strings, etc.
I play Modulus basses, primarily. My “go to” is a Flea Bass with my daughter’s name (GRACE) in the fretboard. I modified another Flea as well and have it tuned BEAD. I asked Modulus to build me a P bass for the 2010 Grammys and they have added it to their full time lineup. (The Funk Persuasion) It really sounds great on the island music we do. It’s got a lot of classic P characteristics, but adds a thick, low undertone.
My upright is a Bjarton Swingmaster cutaway bass. It’s very thumpy, but it’s a joy to play and it looks incredible. I also use a Taylor acoustic bass (discontinued) and a Kala Uke Bass during our acoustic set.
I play through a Peavey VB3 and 2 Peavey 8 X 10 cabs. When it’s open and un-effected, the tube driven VB3 is a lot like an old SVT. I like having the option, however, of enabling the graphic EQ when I’m playing upright. Peavey is very dependable and I have been playing their bass gear since 1987.
D’Addario strings. Big ones…
What are your preferences regarding volume when playing live? What is the general level the band plays live, and where do you like to hear your bass in the mix?
We have Martin Audio’s finest sound system. No one ever has trouble hearing us in the house, so stage volumes have become more reasonable over the years. Back in the day, stage volumes used to peel our faces off. I do very little soloing during our set, so I like my tone to be thick and heavily concentrated in the subs. I want the subs to be an extension of my own stage cabs. Big bass. All the time.
I have to be able to feel the rumble to be satisfied on stage. We have been using in-ear monitors for many years now and I depend on the rump shaking qualities of the cabs a lot. My monitor mix is dominated by drums, bass and my voice. After that, it’s Zac’s voice and guitars. Everybody else comes next and they are generally panned hard left and right based on their stage position.
What are the basses you’ve used in the past, or plan to use in the future?
My first bass was a Yamaha RBX 300. I played a Peavey Dyna Bass for a while and then a Warwick Fortress 5 string. When I started playing in the ZBB, I was using a Music Man Stingray and my Modulus Flea. The more we played, the more I defaulted to the Flea. Eventually, Modulus took over my whole rig. I just haven’t found a neck that feels better to me than a Modulus. When appropriate, you might see me playing my ’58 Fender P bass or my Custom Peavey bass by Mike Lipe.
This quote is from your Zac website bio: “Being in this band has taught me so much about myself. It has made me realize a lot about who I am and who I want to be.” Can you expand on that? Who are you and who do you want to be?
Being in this band makes you fearless. When something isn’t right, it’s often fear that keeps us from changing it. When we can face our fears, the sky is the limit. Life gave me a massive beating while this band was paying it’s dues. Just when I thought my whole world was going to fall apart, the stars aligned and everything changed. I’ve always surrounded myself with good, real people with honorable intentions and meaningful goals. I always will. What I have learned is that priorities and boundaries are very important. You can’t please everybody, and you have to be happy with yourself first if you expect to do anybody any good.
I am a family man. My wife and 3 daughters mean absolutely everything to me. My new daughters names (FAITH & HOPE) are being added to fretboards as we speak. I want to be respected as a musician and a songwriter. My new solo album is being backed up by Balsam Range and will be predominantly bluegrass. I want to get reacquainted with my Theatre degree and do some acting on the side. I want to get involved in my community and be a strong, present father for my girls. I want to be a better bass player, a better singer, a better bandmate, a better husband and a better daddy.
What’s one thing about Zac (him, not the band) that people generally don’t know or wouldn’t expect?
People may think Zac is just an island soaked, chicken eating, bearded redneck that shoots things and then cooks them in coconut milk and cayenne. He is far more than that. He’s very picky about his jeans. His favorite artist right now is Adele. He loves being on the cutting edge of technology. I ride Harley-Davidson. Zac rides Ducati. He’s on an alkaline free, mostly vegan diet that allows fish.
Zac is hip.
Zac always has his finger on the pulse of what is happening in pop culture and he mostly ignores it. It’s not easy to be so informed and so unaffected at the same time. He is an information sponge. His unique approach to life is based to an incredible ability to use the information in his head efficiently, creatively, and boldly. He strives to do absolutely everything in his life with excellence. I’m proud to know him.
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K3 Sisters Band Interview…
It is very rare when I talk to a band where all the members play bass. The K3 Sisters Band is a perfect example of a group where Kaylen, Kelsey and Kristen Kassab are all multi-instrumentalists and take turns playing bass.
Hailing from Texas, these three sisters have been playing music since they were very young and have amassed an amazing amount of original music, music videos, streaming concerts, podcasts, and content that has taken numerous social media platforms by storm. On TikTok alone, they have over 2.5 million followers and more than a billion views.
Join me as we hear the story of their musical journey, how they get their sound, and the fundamental principles behind these prolific musicians.
Here is the K3 Sisters Band!
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Bassist Danielle Nicole…
Blues music has universal appeal. We all have our ups and downs and this particular musical genre often fits our reality. Just hearing that we are not alone makes us feel a bit better.
Danielle Nicole writes and sings the Blues. She does an amazing job at delivering both exquisite smoky vocals but plays just the right bass line to drive the tune home. Danielle recently released “The Love You Bleed” last January and will be touring the album this upcoming year.
Join me as we learn about Danielle’s musical journey, how she gets her sound, her plans for the future and more.
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Features
Bergantino Welcomes Karina Rykman to Their Family of Artists
Interview with Karina Rykman…
Karina Rykman…The high-energy bassist discusses her path on bass, her upcoming tour, how she came to find Bergantino through another Bergantino artist, and more!
A lifelong Manhattanite diehard New Yorker, Bergantino welcomes new Artist Karina Rykman. Jim and Holly had the privilege of meeting Karina and her band in Boston to see her perform. She lights up a stage with her charismatic passion as a bass player and singer – a true powerhouse of joy and energy. On stage, she smiles from ear to ear, hopping, jumping, and dancing; the entire room overflowing with positivity! If you don’t know this titan of bass yet, you will soon enough. Karina’s JOYRIDE 2024 tour picks up this month with the debut of her new album. We had the opportunity to ask Karina some questions about her career so far.
You have quite the career that began at a very young age. You have so much going on!! Can you share some of your musical path highlights you are most proud of?
Oh man, thank you! What a long, strange trip it’s been. I’m proud of still being so absolutely enthralled by music after playing in a million bands and finally ending up at this current juncture: being able to make my own music and tour under my own name. It just seems completely surreal – every gig, every recording…I’m on cloud 9 being able to continue to do this, and we’re just getting started. I’m extremely proud of being so young and being able to learn so much from Marco Benevento, without whom I’d be absolutely nowhere. Being put up to a large task with enormous shoes to fill, and stepping in even though I barely knew what I was doing at the time. Every gig with Marco is extremely special to me.
Tell us about your new album release Joyride and your 2024 tour.
Joyride is my debut record! It came out in August 2023, and we’ve been touring behind it nonstop ever since. You only make your first record once, and I’m so proud of this one – it’s fun, searing, lush, with chantable choruses and, of course, incredibly thick bass and infectious grooves. It was produced by Phish’s Trey Anastasio, who also contributes guitar parts to 5 of the 9 tunes.
What makes the bass so special to you particularly, and how did you gravitate towards it?
There’s nothing quite like feeling the subs rumbling under your feet in a venue and being responsible for those sounds is thrilling. I played guitar first, at age 12, but essentially completely switched over to bass when I was 22 and got the gig playing bass with Marco Benevento. I haven’t looked back since, except for a few gigs on guitar here and there (notably in the house band on Late Night with Seth Meyers and on The Today Show backing up Julia Michaels).
People hate this question, but: If you were constructing your personal Bass Mt. Rushmore, who are the four players that would make the cut and why?
Geddy Lee, Cliff Burton, Bootsy Collins, Les Claypool. The list goes on and on, of course, but those four have imprinted their unique styles upon my brain since I was so young, and I’m perpetually learning from them – even in the case of the deceased Cliff (RIP), going back and watching Cliff ‘Em All videos is something I do all the time. Endlessly compelled by these four players and their original takes on the instrument.
How did you learn to play?
I never took lessons, but in middle school and high school, I just surrounded myself with equally music-obsessed people. All we did was play music and go and see live music, which is wildly accessible when you grow up in New York City. I had a really tight-knit crew of amazing players as my friends, and everyone would teach each other riffs and licks. I was fearless – playing with people much better than me and saying “yes” to every cool opportunity that came my way. I essentially learned from playing in a million bands and playing along to Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin records.
Are there any other instruments you play?
I started on guitar, and still love to write on guitar. I can get around on keyboards a bit, but you’d never hire me as a keyboardist. The same goes for drums – I LOVE playing drums but you’d never hire me as a drummer.
Describe your playing style(s), tone, strengths and/or areas that can be improved on the bass.
I play both with a pick and my fingers, depending on the specific needs of / vibe of the tune. I love playing fuzz bass and writing bombastic “lead bass” moments, which are a staple of my live show. I’d say I’m about the least “traditional” bassist in just about every way – which is both a strength and a weakness depending on how you frame it. I play what I hear, what I like, and I adhere to very few rules. I’ve always hated rules, and I didn’t start playing rock n roll to follow them.
How did you find Bergantino Audio Systems?
I’m pals with Mike Gordon, bassist of Phish, and his tech is named Ed Grasmeyer. Ed suggested he bring Mike’s Bergantino for me to try out at a show I was playing in Vermont, and I fell instantly in love.
You have been using the Bergantino Forté HP2 head. How have you been setting the controls on this and what changes to those settings might you make as you plug into your other individual instruments?
I love my Forté HP2! The versatility and headroom are incredible, and I’ve been having a lot of fun dialing it in at home. The real fun will begin this weekend when I take it out for 2.5 weeks of tour – dialing something in an apartment just isn’t the same as on a big stage with a PA and subs and all that good stuff. I like to roll my highs a bit and I keep “punch” on all the time. So far, it’s been a dream.
You are the inspiration behind Bergantino cab the new NXT410-C. Can you tell us more about this cab and your experience so far?
Firstly, I’m beyond touched to be the inspiration behind, well…anything! But this is truly insane, and such an honor. I love this cab. Not only is it light and extremely good-looking, it can handle all my loudest, most abrasive and obnoxious effects. My old amp didn’t come close, and could just fart out or I’d have to turn down to appease it. I’m a big fan of playing at earth-shattering volumes, so this is going to be a match made in heaven.
We all love your custom-made Goldie Hawn bass guitar! Can you share more with us about this bass design and why it is so special to you?
Thanks! That’s made by “Zeke Guitars” – it’s the second custom bass he’s made for me! He reached out in the summer of 2019 and asked what my dream bass would be, and I said it was basically my 1978 Fender P-Bass, but lighter, whiter, with Lindy Fralins, gold hardware, and shorter scale. And, well..he did exactly that! I love that bass so much. And the gold, which is referred to as Goldie Hawn, was born in December of 2022, and has the same specs. I just love it, it sounds amazing and looks, arguably, even better.
Jim and I were lucky to get to meet you in person when you came to Boston with the band. The members of the band are such a great group of people! Can you share more with all about the band and crew.
I’m so lucky to keep such incredible company. My bandmates, Adam November and Chris Corsico, are not only unbelievable musicians but also incredible humans. We just laugh and laugh, and we’re there for each other when the road gets tough or we’re exhausted or whatever life throws at us. It’s the joy of my life to get to tour the world with these guys. And the crew! That night was Connor Milton on sound and Nick Koski on lights – we have a rotating cast of people who play those roles based on availability, and everyone who works for us are absolute consummate professionals and the sweetest humans. They are my team of experts and I just adore them so much. Shout out to Zach Rosenberg, Jeff Volckhausen, Dylan Hinds, Dom Chang, for being the best rotating crew a gal could ask for!
What else do you do besides music?
Not much! I love going to the beach! I love eating dinner!
Because I am a foodie, I always ask people what their favorite food is!
Oysters, caviar, sushi. I’m a raw bar fanatic.
At a very young age, Karina is a diligent hard worker. She juggles many balls managing her business and is savvy beyond her years. We are very happy to be working with Karina and are excited for her continued success!
Follow Karina Rykman:
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Facebook @karinarykman/
Bass Videos
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Bassist Ciara Moser…
Ciara and I sat down for this interview a few months after the launch of her debut album, “Blind. So what?”
Blind since birth, she is a powerhouse of talent; she is not only a professional bassist, but also composes music, and is a producer and educator. I am just blown away by her talent and perseverance.
Join me as we hear about Ciara’s musical journey, the details of her album, how she gets her sound, and her plans for the future.
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Interview With Bassist Travis Book
Interview With Bassist Travis Book…
Bluegrass music has had a very solid following over many years and I am always happy to hear from one of the pioneers in that genre.
Travis Book plays bass for the Grammy award-winning band “The Infamous Stringdusters” and has recently released his first solo album “Love and Other Strange Emotions”. As if he wasn’t busy enough, Travis also hosts a podcast, Plays a Jerry Garcia music show with Guitarist Andy Falco, and is constantly gigging locally in his neck of the woods.
Photo, Seyl Park
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